Surprises and Surprises!

Two days later Chris was working in the Room of Requirement when Luna, Colin and Ginny entered.

"We thought we will find you here," said Luna.

"You could have just asked me through our talisman," said Chris adding some moonstone in the cauldron.

"Yes, but I like to guess," smiled Luna then her smile faded off. "Chris, you are looking horrible. Like a Merpeople have punched you on your face."

"Thanks, Luna," chuckled Chris. 

"No, seriously," said Colin. "You need a break."

"I am fine," said Chris stubbornly.

"No you are not," said Ginny. "You need to get out."

"Hogsmeade trip is tomorrow," said Colin. "We can go together — unless you want to go with Jason."

"He is not going," said Chris flatly.

"Why?" asked Ginny surprised.

"He is studying."

"Well then you can come with us," smiled Colin.

"I really don't think so," sighed Chris. "I still have to finish my perfect Polyjuice potion and then this and —"

"What are you making?" asked Ginny.

"An advance strengthening potion," replied Chris stirring.

"Had any progress on the trace removing potion?"

"Nope, still stuck at the powdered horn of a bicorn."

"Doesn't matter," said Colin. "You are taking tomorrow off and going Hogsmeade."

"Colin, I really can't —"

"You can," said Luna suddenly. "You can go out tomorrow and finish your potion both."

"Luna, I know you want to help but there isn't a way —" 

"Oh, there is," grinned Luna.

"Any progress with Slughorn?" said Colin, quickly changing the topic. "You have been — what? — three dinners in his office."

"I think I am building his trust," replied Chris. "Honestly, I can't stand more parties like those."

"I guess I know what you mean," said Ginny. "That's why Harry is calling Quidditch practice whenever Slughorn throws a dinner party."

"That's nice," said Chris quietly. She was missing Quidditch.

"Chris, you can do both of the things," repeated Luna. "Trust me."

"But how Luna?" said Chris. "I can't be in two places at once."

"With this, you can," Luna pulled out a long gold change and an hourglass attached to the chain at the end.

"A Time-Turner?" Chris and Ginny almost screamed.

"A what?" stared Colin.

"Where did you get this Luna?" said Ginny before Chris could.

"When we were at the Department of Mystery," said Luna still looking very happy. "Remember the room with loads of clocks? We were running out of it and blasting things here and there."

"Yeah," Chris said slowly. She barely remembered the surroundings of that room. Her only focus was on the enemies at that time. But now she thought about it, and yeah, there was a room full of clocks.

"At that time, I grabbed a shelf and accidentally withdrew this," Luna held up the Time-Turner. "First, I didn't realize what it was but last month when Hermione told me that we have destroyed all of the Time-Turners in the Department of Mystery, I guessed it was it and I — I used it a little bit."

"That's how I saw you two times at the same place," said Ginny. "Oh my God, Luna."

"Yes, but I guess I don't need it, you do," Luna handed the Time-Turner to Chris. "So you can do both tomorrow."

Chris took the Time-Turner and examined it carefully.

"Anyone care to explain what the hell is going on?" Colin shouted.

"I can sleep now," squealed Chris. "As much as I want."

Ginny and Luna laughed. Then they explained the Time-Turner to Colin.

*****

Next morning, Chris went out to the forbidden forest to meet the Thestrals. She was doing it every weekend and sometimes in weekdays. It was really fun to hang out with Thestrals, sometimes Unicorns and Hippogriffs and sometimes with her Dementors. To Chris' surprise, the Dementors in Hogsmeade were breeding in a scheduled part of the forest. So the other creatures didn't get affected by them.

Today, when Chris was spending time with the Thestrals; Buckbeak, her favourite Hippogriff came running. The Thestrals quickly backed away. Chris had noticed that Thestrals were considered as the less superior creatures at the forest. They weren't proud like Hippogiffs, Unicorns, Flying horses or Centaurs.

Chris got up and patted Buckbeak.

"What happened love?" she asked rubbing his head.

Buckbeak held out his front claw and Chris noticed something tied to his enormous claw. Chris untied it and lifted up something wrapped in brown paper and her name written over it. She looked around to see if the sender was still near, but there was no one other than her and her creatures. She pulled out her wand and suspiciously tapped the package muttering two revealing spells. But nothing happened. Chris carefully unwrapped the package and —

"Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage?"

It was indeed a potion book, and not only any potion book, but an old, and second-handed book. The previous owner had scribbled all over the pages so that the margins were as black as the printed portions. More surprised Chris turned pages after pages to look for the owner's name. At last, she saw something scribbled along the bottom of the back cover in the same small, cramped handwriting as the instructions.

This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince.

She returned to the Gryffindor tower holding the book and the Fat Lady gave her some annoyed looks without any reason which she ignored.

*****

"Hang on," said Ginny, after Chris finished telling them about the book of the 'Prince' at the breakfast table, before leaving for Hogsmeade. Ginny looked alarmed and angry. Chris knew what was on her mind at once. "A person sends you a random book where they have written instructions and you are planning to keep it?"

"It's not like, you know, Riddle's diary. It's just an old textbook someone's scribbled on," said Chris reassuringly. "And I have checked, there are no spells used in it. It's just a normal book."

"It's not normal if someone unknown," Hermione emphasised on the 'unknown', "have sent you this."

"Oh c'mon," said Ron. "It could be someone who wants to help her but wants to stay Anonymous. Why are you two always jumping into worst conclusions?"

"Because," said Hermione stiffly. "Chris has more enemies than friends."

"I don't know, Hermione," said Colin slowly. "Chris has many friends who can help her but want not to come forward to do that. You know, I guess a Slytherin can do that."

"You think it's Jason?" asked Ginny surprised.

"No, I think, it could be Theodore or someone in Slytherin whom Chris had helped in the past few years," said Colin. "And maybe they are too proud to help a Muggle-born in front of others. Just a guess, you know."

"Possible," said Harry. "I am with Colin here. He has a point but —"

"But?" Chris looked at him.

"Just be careful with it," said Harry. "Don't get hurt — I mean be careful. That's all."

"Alright," said Chris.

______________________________

To be continued. . .